Tuesday June 9, 2026 Baidoa (AX) — Concerns over secrecy at the ballot box and outside interference surfaced on Monday as two candidates in the Southwest State presidential race formally complained to the electoral commission about the conduct of the upcoming vote. Former Southwest President Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden and Dr. Abdiasis Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawaari said they had received reports that some lawmakers were being told to take photographs of their ballot papers and show how they voted. The pair said such an…

MOGADISHU, June 9 — Somali international referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan has broken his silence after being refused entry to the United States, saying the rejection wiped out the biggest ambition of his career and denied Somalia a landmark role at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Speaking to The New York Times, Artan said taking part in football’s premier tournament would have meant more than a personal victory; in his view, it would have been a moment of pride for an entire nation. “I had the right papers and everything required for…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 Violence hit two World Cup host cities just days before kickoff, leaving six people stabbed in New York and nine others injured in Kansas City and sharpening questions about security for the tournament’s opening weekend. Blood and used medical items remain at the scene of a stabbing in Penn Station on June 7, 2026 in New York City The separate attacks, both in the United States, have added to growing unease as fans prepare to descend on venues across the country for the World Cup, which begins in three…

By Aki NaceTuesday June 9, 2026 A Somali-born immigrant in Minnesota is among 17 people the Trump administration is pursuing in its newest denaturalization drive. The U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota on Wednesday filed a civil denaturalization complaint against Abdikadir Kadiye. The case accuses him of multiple violations, including illegal procurement of naturalization and obtaining citizenship by concealing a material fact. Starting in 1997, Kadiye tried to enter the United States by filing two separate…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 For Somalia, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a mixed stage of pride and frustration: while the national team is absent, five people of Somali heritage are still set to feature in football’s showcase event as players and officials. (Photo: Handout) Miami, US – (AX) — Somalia’s presence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be felt in two very different ways. Several players with Somali roots are preparing to take part in the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Somali referee Omar…

MOGADISHU – Somalia said on Friday it had been unable to secure the reversal of a U.S. decision that blocked Somali international referee Omar Artan from entering the country to take part in the FIFA World Cup, despite a coordinated diplomatic push involving several government offices. In a statement, the Ministry of Youth and Sports said it regretted the circumstances that kept Artan out of the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The ministry said it moved quickly after Artan was…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 Somalia will not take the field at the FIFA World Cup, but Somali football will still be represented on the game’s grandest stage. Five people of Somali heritage are due to feature in the tournament as players and officials, even as one of them, referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, has been barred from entering the United States. (Photo: Handout) Miami, US – (AX) — A number of footballers with Somali roots are preparing to appear at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, while Somali…

WASHINGTON – The United States has blocked entry to a high-profile Somali referee chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, intensifying concerns that Washington’s travel rules could complicate the build-up to football’s biggest event. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Omar Artan was refused admission even though he held a valid visa. Artan landed at Miami International Airport in South Florida on Saturday, only to be stopped after security screening and turned away from the country. A DHS spokesperson said…

Tuesday June 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s National Olympic Committee has thrown its weight behind referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan after U.S. authorities denied him entry just as he was set for a historic role at the FIFA World Cup. In a statement released Monday, the committee said Artan’s selection for an international tournament in the United States marked a national honor and a major step forward for Somali sport. “The selection of a Somali official for such a prestigious platform is not just a personal achievement,…

by BRIAN ORUTAMonday June 8, 2026 Abdullahi Mohamed Nuur, a former security minister in Somalia/HANDOUT A security raid at one of Mogadishu’s better-known hotels has sharpened worries that Somalia’s political battle is starting to spill into the private sector, unsettling investors and raising fresh questions about the safety of businesses tied to opposition figures. The Elite Hotel incident in the capital has quickly become a symbol of the country’s widening political rift. Analysts say the standoff between the federal…